


Tripping Up the Stairs

by misura



Category: Bedlam's Bard - Mercedes Lackey
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-24
Updated: 2015-12-24
Packaged: 2018-05-09 00:57:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5519552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misura/pseuds/misura
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eric's first impressions of their new home. (post-KoG&S)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tripping Up the Stairs

**Author's Note:**

  * For [greenlily](https://archiveofourown.org/users/greenlily/gifts).



_So here we are. Our new home._ Eric couldn't say he thought much of the place, but then, they had been warned.

'In need of some repairs' had definitely been an accurate description. 'In need of being completely torn down and rebuilt' ... well, appearances could be deceiving sometimes. _Let's hope that's the case here. Although honestly, as long as there's running water, gas and electricity, and a roof that doesn't leak, I'll be happy. And that not leaky roof might be optional._

These past few months, things had never gotten quite to the point where they'd been forced to actually spend the night outside, but there had been a few close calls. _A few_ very _close calls._ It would be good to be able to stay in one place for longer than a few weeks, to get back to something more closely resembling a 'normal' life. _Inasfar as you can apply that term to an elf, a witch and a street musician._

"It looks ...nice?" Kory offered, breaking into Eric's thoughts. Beth had already rushed upstairs, to inspect the bathroom, singular, and bedrooms, multiple.

_Which begs the question: if there's only two, who of us are going to share, and who gets left by himself? Or herself?_ It felt petty, not to want Beth and Kory to share a bedroom, but ... _Well, I guess I'm the petty type. Not that I'm going to object if they_ do _decide that's how it's going to be. I just ..._

"Bard? Eric?" Kory's expression was slightly concerned.

Eric summoned a weak smile. "Sorry. My mind wandered."

"By your face, it did not wander to any good places. This is a good thing, isn't it? Having a home?"

_You're probably asking the wrong guy._ Eric had always been a drifter, following the Faires, going wherever he wanted to go. Sure, he'd stuck around for a bit sometimes, but in the end, he'd never found it too hard to move on again. _In fact, sometimes going was a lot easier than staying would have been._ "I guess so."

Kory looked a bit disappointed.

_Great work, Banyon. Let's drag everyone else's mood down along with your own, shall we?_ "I've never really been much of a homebody," Eric explained. "So you could say that this whole thing is as new to me as it is to you." _Not entirely, probably, but close enough._

"Our Eric here's always been more of a home _wrecker_ than a home _maker_ ," Beth declared, coming down the stairs.

_I - what? when did I ever_ wreck _somebody's home?_

"By which I mean: be grateful they already fixed the plumbing in this place, because I seriously doubt any one of us could have handled that without flooding the place - or worse." Beth smiled down at them. "On that note, it's been a long day, and I think I deserve a hot shower before going to bed. So how about we try and see if we can all fit in there? I've already had a look, and I think that we can make it work if we all give it a fair try."

Kory gave him a sideways look, as if he knew exactly what Eric was thinking, and then he started smiling, too, as he gently put his hand on Eric's shoulder. "Have I ever told you, Lady Bethany, how brilliant your ideas are?"

Beth laughed, her eyes sparkling, and Eric figured that there really was no point in resistance. _Not that I even want to resist. I just ... Is this how it's going to be? The two of them together, always needing to pull me along, like some third wheel?_

_:Bard. I am sorry.:_ Kory's voice, speaking directly in his mind.

_He's sorry? For wha - oh._

_:I would not normally kiss you without asking first, but you seemed to be in need. I hope that you may forgive me.:_ Kory explained. His eyes really were the most amazing shade of green. It wasn't hard to see why Beth liked him so much, or why she preferred him over - _:No. No preference, Bard. Would you measure love? even you humans are not that clever, I think, or so arrogant.:_

Beth hugged him from behind, gently, as if she was worried about scaring him off. _Not that I think I could get away even if I wanted to. Which I don't_

_This is nice. I like this._ "You're an idiot, you know that, Banyon?" Beth asked, without letting go.

"Yes, well." Eric cleared his throat. "Be that as it may, I believe you mentioned something about a hot shower and a bed, and your uncertainty as to whether or not we'd fit?"

"I think that uncertainty just turned into certainty that we _will_ fit," Beth said, grinning as she grabbed both their hands and led them towards the stairs.


End file.
